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America Abroad: "The Global Water Challenge"

(Rochester, New York) – The world's population is growing, and with it, so is the demand for water. America Abroad: The Global Water Challenge, airing Sunday, July 21, 2013 at 9 p.m. on AM 1370/FM-HD 91.5-2, examines global issues related to water, from dams on the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, to droughts and floods in Queensland, Australia. The program discusses solutions-from water-related I.T. in the developing world to solar-powered purification after the Haiti earthquake.

The program features:

Joseph Braude, who talks with Yemen’s former minister of water and the environment. Perhaps the most dire water crisis in the Arab world is in the Republic of Yemen, one of the poorest nations in the region.

Linda Gradstein, who reports from the banks of the Jordan River. Today the Jordan River is shallow, narrow and polluted. Despite collaborative efforts between Israel and Jordan, progress is often stifled by regional politics.

Constanze Letsch, who reports from Istanbul and the building of the Ilisu Dam in southeastern Turkey. The dam is intended to meet the country’s growing electricity needs. But this controversial project risks washing away thousands of years of history.

Michael Rhee, who reports from Brisbane Australia. Over the past ten years, Australia has seen some of the worst droughts and floods in its recorded history. These unpredictable conditions have forced citizens to adapt in a variety of ways.

James Luce, who reports from Rahway, New Jersey. In the aftermath of the earthquake in Haiti in 2010, access to clean water was nearly impossible. A New Jersey mayor responded to this emergency with a sophisticated act of generosity.

And, host Ray Suarez discusses the water challenges facing our planet - from scarcity to sanitation - with Winston Yu, World Bank scholar and professor at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies.

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